The information described in this background section is not admitted to be prior art.
Photovoltaic modules can comprise at least one photovoltaic cell encapsulated and laminated between a front transparency and a backsheet. The production of such photovoltaic modules can comprise the fabrication of a module preassembly that undergoes a vacuum lamination operation to seal encapsulant material and adhere together the constituent components. Lamination of a module preassembly can be performed by placing the module preassembly in a vacuum lamination apparatus that uses a compliant diaphragm to compress the module preassembly and bond the encapsulant materials under reduced pressure and elevated temperature conditions to produce the laminated photovoltaic module. The lamination operation seals the photovoltaic cells between the front transparency and the backsheet with bonded encapsulant material.
Vacuum lamination operations for producing photovoltaic modules can require large capital investments in equipment and control systems. Additionally, the mechanical compression required during vacuum lamination operations can crack silicon semiconductor photovoltaic cells, which are intrinsically brittle and fragile, leading to undesirably high rates of breakage and device rejection during production. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide processes and systems for producing photovoltaic modules that do not require vacuum lamination operations.